This invention relates to a reactor comprising a core member and a coil member which has a coil body embedded in the core member.
For example, a reactor comprising a core member and a coil member is disclosed in each of JP 2012-89899A (Patent Document 1) and JP 2006-4957A (Patent Document 2), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The core member of the reactor of Patent Document 1 includes two types of members which have relative permeabilities different from each other.
Patent Document 2 discloses a coil component which is usable as a reactor. The coil component of Patent Document 2 comprises a magnetic core (core member) and a coil member having a coil body. The magnetic core is a composite magnet which is made by hardening a mixture of magnetic particles and a binder made of resin. The coil body of the coil member is embedded in the magnetic core.
The composite magnet of Patent Document 2 has a relative permeability lower than that of a dust core. The composite magnet of Patent Document 2 can be used in the reactor of Patent Document 1. For example, the two types of members of the core member of Patent Document 1 may be the composite magnet and the dust core.
The aforementioned reactor that comprises the composite magnet and the dust core may be installed and used in a vehicle. When used in a vehicle, the reactor is exposed to an environment in which the temperature changes largely. Under the environment of large temperature change, thermal expansion of the coil member might apply a large stress against the core member to damage the core member.